We rank our ten most underrated movies the past ten years. Some didn’t get the viewers they deserved, some were snubbed by awards. (In fact, they were all snubbed by awards; one of the criteria for this list was that the film did not receive any Oscar nominations.) All of them, however, are fantastic films.
We have each chosen 5 for this list (and then Greg stole Will’s Pig review too, because he liked it too much). In no particular order, we present:
Red Rocket (Will)
This was GREAT! I had heard good things but enjoyed this more than I expected. So atmospheric, great acting, great script, great camera work, good usage of music. Simon Rex is such a bad dude. Sean Baker is so good at making these kind of movies, and I feel like this one slipped a little more under the radar then it should have.
May have broken the record for contemplative cigs in a film. So many great side characters too - poor Lonny. Flaccid dicks in movies are back in a big way. The unnecessary flash pan down was a lot but also hilarious.
The Northman (Greg)
This is a movie that somehow feels both underappreciated and quite flawed at the same time. There’s some amazing combat scenes (three decapitations, if I recall, as we had a running bet going at the theater on the over/under), and a fantastic performance from Skarsgaard that can only be described as “brooding.” The fealty to historical accuracy remains as strong as ever for Robert Eggers movie, and he certainly puts his weird and unique spin on the “son-takes-revenge” historical action flick.
And yet somehow, I found myself wishing that the movie was longer, more fleshed out. Some plot points feel a little rushed, even if the movie is just as much about the mood and aesthetics as it is the actual plot. I almost wonder if we will one day get a “directors cut” of this one day that’s about 45 minutes longer and ultimately considered the definitive version. Nevertheless, it stands as Exhibit A for how I feel about the development of blockbuster movies in today’s relatively “play it safe” era of sequels and superhero IPs: ten times out of ten, give me a flawed but ambitious project from a talented director over the safe play. It may not be perfect, but it is glorious.
Talk to Me (Will)
Probably my favorite horror movie of 2022? Barbarian, Smile, and The Menu got all the hype, but this is just as good. Awesome but also so oppressively dark and bleak! Every single horror movie a24 puts out is fire but IMHO this is as good as Hereditary.
The opening scene, unreal possession montage (my favorite part of the movie), the weird foot scene, the crazy frog ringtone, the ending! Great acting, amazingly shot, sound design slapped so hard - those head thunks made me yell in my apartment. 10/10, no notes.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco (Greg)
This semi-autobiographical story by Jimmy Fails, who plays himself in the lead performance, was my pick for the top movie of 2019 (yes, even above Parasite). This is a vivid love letter to a place – the city of San Francisco – both as it currently is and as it once was. Despite a budget of just $3 million, it’s filled with breathtaking shots that could stand on their own as museum-level photography. The story, at one level, is about what is lost in a city’s culture and amongst its people as it gentrifies and changes, but that seemingly simplistic message is explored several layers deeper and anchored by the real emotions of the characters. It has as much heart and love as any move I’ve seen; equal parts painful and hopeful, and should not be missed.
The Last Duel (Will)
Good stuff from Ridley Scott, as always. Although the triple perspectives made the movie long at points, it also gave it a lot more nuance and the MVP was really Margauritte. Phenomenal performance - gripping and emotional. King Ben, less so. Roose Bolton right at home in a small role. Loved the actual duel. Good, if predictable, progression through weapons. Tight and even throughout, despite Damon coming in as a -275 favorite. Random horse kick was great. I think this one kind of flew under the radar since it came out during peak pandemic and got buried due to some of the press around its themes/narratives, but deserved better - an epic yet nuanced Middle Ages movie with an A-List cast and director.
Columbus (Greg)
Some of the movies on this list, I don’t quite understand why they weren’t bigger. Wrong time, wrong place, wrong marketing, etc. For Columbus, I get it. It’s a slow burn of a movie, and sort of impossible to describe without sounding a bit pretentious. As in: the architecture of the city is one of the main characters of the movie, giving you a new appreciation for the way the space around you makes you feel. But hey, it’s true.
On it’s surface, it’s a movie about the son of an architect fulfilling his filial obligations while his father is in a coma. But really, it’s about the tug of feeling stuck in a place and with people who you love dearly but need to grow from – sort of cut from the same cloth as Ladybird. John Cho is fantastic here. Plus, bonus points for an appearance from Rory Culkin who, despite being very talented in his own right, is now definitively Culkin brother Number Three.
The Green Knight (Will)
I think this one didn’t get as much attention as it deserved because it is, amongst other things, both slow and very weird. One of the most beautiful movies of the last decade though and total A24 King Author porn. Every period piece they make should include the parents from the Witch. Merlin is kinda creepy. The witch belt stays on during sex.
The Nice Guys (Greg)
It kind of feels like the pure, mid-budget comedy is dead these days. For better or worse, the Judd Apatow and Will Ferrell golden days are over, and it doesn’t really feel like much has come to replace them. While I’m not necessarily complaining, it seems like being quite “dark” is a prerequisite for anything these days that wants to call itself comedy.
Enter the Nice Guys. Genuinely hilarious, laugh-out-loud buddy cop movie, featuring a couple of screw-ups with good hearts. One of the few comedies I’ve seen in the last decade where I’m rewatching and quoting it to any friends that have seen it. Sometimes you don’t need to reinvent the wheel, you just gotta build it great. Plus, the lineage of Ryan Gosling’s turn to comedy and role as Ken can, I think, be directly traced back to this role — so if you enjoyed his turn in Barbie and want more, here you go!
Pig (Will, featuring Greg overstepping our agreed upon roles)
This movie surprised me at every turn by completely subverting the revenge movie trope. Cage puts in my favorite performance of his since National Treasure (except maybe for Wicker Man - NOT THE BEES!!!). As a foodie, I really enjoyed the way they depicted the Portland restaurant scene and the exotic truffle market. Tender, beautiful, unrewarding yet deeply human, this movie left me feeling both emotional and hungry.
~editors note from Greg~ Man, what a great movie. About 30 minutes in, you think it might just be a John Wick ripoff. Not at all. You still can’t convince me that this wasn’t formed from some people having an awesome Dungeons and Dragons session where they defeated the big bad by using several bards and their culinary skills and empathy. Totally original, surprising, and, as Will said, tender. At the top of my list for recommendations for anyone who dares to slander the brilliant Nicolas Cage. Everyone, go watch it. Now.
Everybody Wants Some!! (Greg)
The one sentence pitch for this movie is: Dazed and Confused’s spiritual sequel, for the 80s instead of the 70s. The film, also helmed by Richard Linklater, similarly follows a group of kids over a short period of time, (this time, a college baseball team) seemingly doing nothing much at all, but actually coming of age quite a bit. It’s funny and surprisingly philosophical; a film I’d recommend to casual comedy watchers and film snobs alike. It also has a very early-career Glen Powell appearance before he was everywhere – just don’t hold that against it.